


The RADA Invitation

by lost_and_found



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston-Fandom
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Improvisation, RADA - Freeform, Romance, Tom Is A Sweetheart, drama school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 20:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3424664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_and_found/pseuds/lost_and_found
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tom is invited to RADA for a special lecture to the first year and he meets a girl that's being given some hard time by other students.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The RADA Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Something that came to me when watching (again) Tom's interview to RADA and hearing him say that he is a "buddy". Your comments are always welcomed. Let me know what you liked or didn't like. Enjoy! :)

The corridors were full of people trying to get a glimpse of him. As always, Tom was extremely nice to everyone and excited to be back to RADA. The director of the school had invited him to give a special lecture to the first year and he gladly accepted. He was standing outside the classroom with Professor Elisa McDaniels, one of his favourites back in the day.

"You're going to do fine. They are very excited about this", the professor smiled at him when she realised he looked nervous.

"I just hope I say the right things, you know?", he sighed.

"No worries, my dear. Let's go inside, shall we?". Tom nodded in response and she opened the door. Tom waved at the students, a group of about 30 people, most of them at their early twenties. He heard some girls giggling as he walked in front of them, following Professor McDaniels and sat in a chair next to her. The students had formed a circle, sitting on the ground.

"Alright, now, guys. As you already now, today we have Tom Hiddleston with us, an actor and alumnus of RADA. I had the luck of teaching him, a rare talent with so much more to give to this art we call acting. Today, he's doing us the honour of giving you a lecture, which I'm positive you are going to enjoy", McDaniels introduced him.

"The honour's all mine, Professor", Tom smiled. "Hello, everyone. I'm really glad to be here, but let's not call this a lecture. I don't feel like I possess all the tools needed to be able to teach you something. However, I'm sure we are going to have some very interesting conversations together. Feel free to ask anything. And because we are going to be here for a few hours, why don't you introduce yourselves so that I know you a bit better?", he asked. "Your name, what you believe is your main strength as an actor and favourite playwright would suffice for the time being", he nodded to the guy next to him to start speaking. As more and more students introduced themselves, Tom realised how different they were from each other. When the female student currently speaking finished her introduction, he set his eyes to the one next to her, a black-eyed girl, sitting awkwardly, her chin resting on her knees which were brought to her chest. Her pale skin contrasted with her long brown hair. Tom smiled at the beauty in front of him and nodded for her to begin.

"Hello. I'm Andrea Louise Garrison, but people call me Andie. I believe my biggest strength is improvisation and my -".

"People don't call you anything, because people don't talk to you, Garrison", a guy three seats from her mocked her, causing every other student to laugh.

"Matt, why are you doing this? What are you honestly gaining? You don't like me. Fine! Let's just all decide that there's nothing we can do about it. There's no need to make fun of me all the bloody time", Andrea shouted and stormed out of the room. She ran outside of the building, tears streaming down her face. She lit a cigarette and wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling angry. She sat on the stairs and kept smoking.

"Are you alright?", she heard a deep voice from behind and turned around to find Tom smiling at her. She nodded. Tom walked closer and extended his hand to help her get up. "Let's go back inside. It's cold out here". Once they were inside the building, he looked at her and realised that she had been crying. She wasn't ready to go back to class. "Is there a place where we can go and people won't disturb?". Andrea nodded and started walking, Tom following her. She stopped at a quiet spot and sat on a windowsill, sighing.

"You didn't have to come for me. This happens almost every day. I can deal with it", she tried to form a smile.

"You shouldn't have to deal with it. And what you did in there, standing up for yourself, that was really brave", Tom smiled, trying to find her eyes.

"It was stupid! Right up until now, they just thought I didn't care. The less I would speak, the better it was getting. But now I've given them the satisfaction of knowing that it bothers me", she said, feeling hot tears falling from her eyes. Tom searched in his pocket and found a pack of tissues. He opened it and offered her one. She took it and wiped her tears, apologizing to him.

"Why do they do it, anyway?", Tom asked as he sat next to her.

"I'm not really sure. All was well in the beginning. One Saturday we all decided to go out, get a drink or two. We were having fun. I went to the loo and Matt followed me. He tried to kiss me but I shoved him away. Next thing I know, everyone's talking behind my back, nobody wants anything to do with me. One day, I was walking to a class and overheard two girls talking about how I tried to kiss him, but he didn't want to. Oh, right! I forgot to mention, the bloody bastard already had a girlfriend from our year, so I was the slut that would throw herself on anyone, without even caring if they have a girlfriend", she sighed and looked at Tom who was shaking his head in disbelief. "Why am I even bothering you with all of this?", she blushed.

"Because I asked", he said firmly. "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry! How old is this guy, anyway? Twelve? Why didn't you try to set the record straight?", he asked.

"You can't fight against this, Tom...", she smiled gently at his question. "It's not only him, it's her, too. They have their friends and, it seems, it's easier for people to blame it on someone they don't know so well. And I'm the quiet type, so I guess I'm an easy target".

"Well, I think you're wonderful. I couldn't get my eyes off of you in there. The way you were talking in that naturally warm voice of your, the way you were looking at me, such a sweet gaze", Tom smiled. Andrea blushed and looked down. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to -".

"It's okay! Don't worry. I don't think you were trying to hit on me", she laughed and Tom smiled gently.

"Ready to go back inside?". She nodded. They walked in silence back to the classroom and he opened the door, waiting for her to enter, before closing it behind him. Andrea heard some students whispering as she passed them by, but tried not to listen to their mean comments. She sat back to her original spot, her head buried between her knees.

"Alright, everyone. Now that we're all here again, and I trust that no such incident will occur ever again", McDaniels looked at Matt with a piercing gaze, "Tom has asked me to see you improvise. I thought that it would be better if you could interact with the man himself, see how you can do with a pro. Who would like to go first?". Many students, especially the female ones, raised their hands, waving them frantically.

"If it's not a problem, I'd like Andie to come up here first. After all, she was the only one, of all the people who managed to introduce themselves, who said she believes improvisation is her strength". McDaniels nodded at Tom's request and Andrea rose from the ground.

"Did she try to kiss you, too, Tom?", a blonde girl asked with a smirk.

"No. But she will kiss me now!", Tom said in a harsh voice, without even looking at the girl. Andrea froze. _What does he mean?_

"Come closer, Andie", McDaniels said. "You are a couple fighting and then making up passionately. The rest of the story is up to you two. You may begin when you're ready. Andie, you are the one who speaks first. It's you we want to see. We know Tom can do it". Andrea stood next to Tom and he nodded for her to begin.

 _"Is this your definition of love?"_ , she asked in a breaking voice. It was the first thing that popped in her mind.

 _"Darling, please, let me explain..."_ , Tom played along. He wasn't sure where this was going either.

 _"Oh, I think what I saw was self-explanatory enough"_.

 _"It was just one, Andie!"_ , Tom shouted. _"Why won't you let me talk to you?"_. He realised that she was playing safe with her words. He wanted her to think, he wanted to stimulate her mind, make her think out of the box. Finding her boyfriend kissing another girl was common. She had to be better than that.

 _"And tell me what, Tom? You were drinking again!"_ , she was now shouting in front of his face. She was so close she could feel his breath. She looked him in the eyes, those beautiful blues. Her eyes welled up. _"You promised me that you'd never do it again, that you loved me and you would quit for me"_ , she said in a low voice, showing the pain as if it was real and she let the tears fall.

 _"I know..."_ , Tom wiped her tears and kissed her eyes, his hands on her cheeks. _"I know, my darling girl. And I meant every word of it"_ , he looked into her eyes, getting lost for a moment. _"But the guys said we should drink to celebrate..."_ , he smiled, happy that she had managed to change the story with what he had thrown at her mid-way.

 _"Celebrate what?_ _"_ , Andrea asked startled.

 _"Well,_ I...", he brushed the back of his neck awkwardly, _"I kind of told them that I was going to...propose to you tonight_ ", he hugged her and stroke her hair. _"I love you, Andie. Will you be my wife?_ _"_ , he said next to her ear, almost as if he was whispering, as if he was trying to say something, but was hiding it behind his lines.

 _"Tom, I...Yes! Yes! A million times yes_!", she looked at him and smiled widely. _"I love you so much"_. Tom smiled and leaned forward. His lips touched hers and he kissed passionately. He felt powerless, as if he wouldn't be able to control his tongue. He was afraid that he would lick her lips, try to get access to her mouth. That's what he wanted to do and was feeling less and less capable of restricting himself. He felt relief when Andrea broke the kiss as soon as McDaniels started clapping. He looked at her, but she avoided his gaze, blushing.

"That was great! There was some serious chemistry between the two of you", the professor stated. Tom and Andrea thanked each other and she sat back to her spot.

One by one, all the students improvised a small scenario with Tom. All the female students engaged to the one Andrea had performed, but had to make up a new reason for fighting and a new way of reconciling. Some ended up in kissing Tom, some didn't. After each time an improvisation with a girl ended, it was becoming more and more clear to Tom how much he enjoyed kissing Andrea. And after each time he waited for the next student to stand by his side, he would steal a look from her and earn a shy smile that, he found, was warming his heart.

"Okay, everyone. I think it's about time we had a break", McDaniels said when all the students had had their turn. "You have twenty minutes. Tom, I will be in my office. You can either go there or go grab something to eat. I don't know. Whatever you want", she smiled and walked out of the classroom, as did some of the students. Andrea was about to stand up when she saw a hand in front of her face. She looked up and found Tom smiling at her. She took his hand to get up and smiled back.

"There's a place around the corner that makes amazing coffee. Would you like to have a cup with me?", he said in a low voice, trying not to be heard by anyone else. He wanted to be alone with her, not being distracted by anyone. He didn't know what it was about her, but something made him want to have her all to himself. He was used to people telling him how sexy his voice sounds. He wouldn't know. It was just his voice... But hers, hers was amazing. He wanted to hear her speak more, talk about herself, deliver lines...call his name next to his ear.  _Get yourself together, mate!_

"Um...Everyone goes there when we have more than ten minutes to spare. I'd rather not. Thank you, though", Andrea said and walked out of the door. Tom stood there for a minute or so, then he ran behind her.

"Andrea!", he called out in the now empty corridor. She turned around and looked at him. "I lied...before". She looked at him confused. "I was trying to hit on you", he blushed. "God! I'm terrible at this. I-I can't quite explain it, but there's something about you that makes me want to...know you better. Let's go out tonight, you and I. We don't have to call it a date if it makes you uncomfortable", he smiled. "Please?", he looked at her with those blues eyes that could have her melt in a second.

"No one's ever said no to you, have they?", she grinned.

"Why are you saying that?", he asked and she blushed.

"Because I'm having a very hard time to".

 

 

 


End file.
